Thermostatic control means



rMarch 17, 1942. c. E. QUINN THERMO-STATI() CONTROL MEANS Filed Aprilze, 1941 2 sheets-peet 1 INVENTOR. Qwuz/z Cl ara E.

A 7T TOR/v5 Ys March 17, 1942. c. E. QUINN THERMOSTATIC CONTROL MEANS f2 sheets-'sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1941 v INVENTOR Clara. L'. Qufnn,

Arrone/VE SM-f' iatented Mar. 17,1942

` 2,276,872 riisaMos'rArlo coN'moL MEANS Clara E. Quinn, St. Broquinda,Inc., ration of Delaware Petersburg, Fla., assigner to St. Petersburg,Fla.. a corpo- Application April 26, 1941, Serial No. 390,451

2 Claims.

The' present invention relates' to thermostatic control apparatus= andparticularly tothermostatic control apparatus for controlling the ilowof a refrigerating medium. l

More particularly still, in its preferred embodiment, the inventionrelates to a thermostatic means for'controlling the ow of a iiuldsecondary refrigerating medium. l

It is an object of the invention to provide a means, thermostaticallygoverned, for controlling the setting of a valve or the like which inturn controls the flow of a refrigerating medium. It

will be understood, of course, that this device might control a valvewhich in turn controlsthe ow of a heating medium, and that by describingthe invention as applied to the control of refrigeration, it is notintended to limit it thereto.

It is another object 'of the invention to provide a control means whichmay be readily adjusted to maintain the control temperature at a desired.broken away, of the device of Figure 1, again showing the relationshipof that device to the valve structure upon which it operates.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the thermostatic control mechanism and ofthe valve controlled thereby, showing particularly the means by whichthe thermostatic control element is set to a desired temperature value;and

Figure i is a horizontal cross-section, taken on the line dof Figure 2,showing particularly the mode by which the setting of the thermostaticelement may be adjusted.

Referring now to the drawings, there is mounted upon a plate I0, throughthe medium of the hinges ii, a box-like structure I2 having a per`forated cover i3. This entire unit is mounted within the space which isrefrigerated. Mounted 'within the box-like structure I2 is a bi-metalthermostat unit Il which is formed in the shape of a helix, the upperend being fastened as by in Figure 2, and lies against welding to abracket I'S which is in turn to the rear of the box I2.

At the lower end of the box I2 there is supplied a sleeve Il suppliedwith bearings lIl, preferably ball bearings. Rotatably mounted intheball bearings Il is a shaft I8 which is enlarged at itsupper end toform-a slotted head 20. Into the slot in the head is inserted aprojection of the end oi the helical bi-metal element Ill. lOn the ldwerend of the shaft I8 there. is fastened, by means o! the set `screw 2|.an arm 22 which arm extends outwardly or to the right, as' seen theextending stem oi the controlled valve.

In the present instance this valve, as best seen' in Figure 1, comprisesthe valve body 23 having the annular seat 24 therein. Cooperating withthis seat is the ilap 25 which is pivoted at 26 and which is controlled-by means of the rod 21 which extends through a 2l extends upwardly andis pivoted at a point considerably above the valve on a pivot extendingbetween the upright supporting arms 30 which are made integral with orfastened to the valve cap 3l Fastened to the valve cap 3| and to thevalve rod 2l ls a iiexible bellows 32 which serves to isolate theinterior of the valve from the exterior thereof, thereby making itunnecessary to utilize a gland packing where the valve rod 2l passesthrough the valve cap 3l. It will be seen that when the thermostaticelement I I is subjected to an increased temperature kit tends to expandand -to thereby rotate the shaft I 8 in a counterclockwise direction,thus causing the valve nap 25 to be moved from its seat and to permitthe flow of uld through the pipe lines connected to the the thermostaticelevalve. Of course when ment is subjected to a reverse'action occurs. Y

In order that the valve setting may be in aclower temperature thecordance with the temperature desired, there is supplied a means foradjusting the thermostatic elf-ment Il with respect to the initialdegree of contraction thereof. This means comprises a cam 33 whichbearsagainst the rear surface of the box I2 to cause rotation of the box uponits hinges Il. Cam 33 is mounted upon a shaft 34 which is supported inbrackets 35 on the plate I0. the shaft extending upwardly to any desiredposition, but ordinarily to a. position outside thev refrigeratedspace.Shaft 34 carries which cooperates with a dial IlA graduated as 55 shownin Figure 3. 'I'he pointer 38 is provided fastened hole inthe bracket28.' Rod l on its upper end a pointer 3B i with a spring pressedplunger38 which cooperates with holes 40 in the dial 3l to lock theshaft and cam in adjusted position; It will be obvious that by rotatingthe pointer 36 to any desired position, the cam being rotated to acorresponding position will cause the box |12 to swing upon its hinges,thereby determining the amount oi contraction of the thermostatc elementwhich will be initially present. It will be seen that the valvethrottles the ow of refrigerating medium at all times except when thepointer is at its of! position, at which time the helical blmetalelement is so expanded as to bey ineffective to operate the' valve. Boxl2 is held against the cam 33 by means of spring Il, which is stretchedbetween lplate l0 and a stud extending from box i2.

While I have described a preferred embodiment oi' my invention, it is tobe understood that the invention may be utilized with other types ofvalves and further that other similar forms of Ilv be limited por endiixed thereto, a sliait attached to the lower in the lowerportion ofsaid box-like structure and operable by said bi-metal element, saidshaft being adapted to operate a valve, a cam rotatably mounted on saidmounting plate in position to cause said box to pivot about its hinges,resilient means for retaining said box against said cam, and meanscomprising a dial and pointer for rotating said cam to adjust thetension of said helicalbi-metal element.

2.' In a thermostatic control means, in combination, a mounting plate, abox-like structure hingedly mounted on said plate. a helical bivmetalelement mounted in said box with its upper.

end fixed thereto, a shaft attached to the lower end of said element androtatably mounted in the lower portion of said box-'like structure, anenlarged portion on the inner end of said shaft slotted to receive thelower end of said bi-'metal element, an arm on the outer end of saidshaft, said arm extending into cooperative relationship with thecontrolling element of a valve. and

means comprising a cam and cam shaft mounted on said mounting plate andbearing againstfvthe rear of said box-like structure for rotatiri saidbox-like structure upon its hinges vto alter; the

relationship of said arm to the valve controlling element and to tensionsaid helical birmetalelement to a desired degree. f.

' CLARA' E. QUINN.

end oi' said element and rotatably mounted

